Apple boosts iPhone 7 production in wake of Galaxy Note 7 recall

Due to upwards of 35 separate incidents involving Galaxy Note 7 devices catching fire while charging, Samsung recently initiated an unprecedented recall of its initially well-received phablet. Suffice it to say, the Galaxy Note 7 launch has been nothing short of a nightmare for Samsung, both from a public relations and economic perspective. According to some estimates, the entire ordeal may wind up costing Samsung as much as $1 billion. While Samsung hasn’t commented on how much its massive recall will end up costing, the company’s smartphone business chief Koh Dong Jin said that it would be a “heartbreaking amount.”

Of course, the timing of Samsung’s Galaxy Note 7 recall just so happens to work out well for Apple, especially as the company prepares to unveil the iPhone 7 next week. According to a report from Digitimes, Apple over the past few days has told its iPhone 7 component suppliers and manufacturing partners to boost production by 10%.

“The hike in order volumes,” the report states, “indicates that Apple still remains positive about replacement demand for new iPhones from existing iPhone users, said the sources, adding that Apple originally predicted that shipments of the new iPhone devices in the second half of 2016 will reach only 60% of iPhone shipments recorded in the year earlier period.”

Does Apple’s 10% order increase have anything to do with Samsung’s Galaxy debacle? It’s entirely possible, especially given that many previous Galaxy Note 7 owners now face a two-week waiting period before being able to get their hands on a replacement device. And with Apple reportedly set to launch the iPhone 7 as early as September 16, it’s not outside the realm of possibility to envision a large number of Note 7 owners opting to check out Apple’s next-gen smartphone.

As for last-minute iPhone 7 rumors, a research report from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo over the weekend provided us with a long list of interesting new details surrounding Apple’s upcoming smartphone. From much improved storage options to an enhanced display, the iPhone 7 is already sounding like a more compelling device than many initially anticipated. You can check out the full run-down of Kuo’s report over here.